Tangled
by whenthemarshmallowmettheslayer
Summary: "You can," Renji finally says. Nothing elaborate despite the situation, just simple and short. He can't know for sure but Renji thinks Uta's eyes would have been bright at the permission being given if his kakugan weren't activated as they've always been. (Or how Renji learns Uta is a one eyed ghoul.)


A/N: If you want more stories or quicker updates check (if this is a multi chapter fic) out youngjusticewriter on ao3. Still taking prompts btw.

Prompt: Uta at Yomo with "I am human"

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He's like a cat, Renji thinks (there's a certain fondness not to the comparison but to the ghoul not that Renji will voice it) as Uta clambers onto his lap and leans forward, hair falling with him and partially blocking Renji vision. The thought makes makes Renji smile and not just from his face but his eyes as well. Uta, despite the inebriated state he (they really) is in because of a favor owed to Itori, of course notices. He leans closer to Renji, his blonde strands brushing the side of Renji's face, and the cooper smell of blood wine is heavy around both of them.

"Can I touch them?"

Can. It repeats like a broken record over Renji's head for a minute or maybe more. Can, like may, means asking and in the time Renji has known Uta he doesn't truly ask for things he wants. Uta forces his way or attempts to. In the past Uta has failed in getting what he originally wanted from Renji but now he's asking.

It's dangerous, Renji knows not only that but what Uta had been referring to. Maybe it's cause he's drunk to or because it's been so long since Renji has been touched without there being pain and he doesn't want it to stop.

"You can," Renji finally says. Nothing elaborate despite the situation, just simple and short. He can't know for sure but Renji thinks Uta's eyes would have been bright at the permission being given if his kakugan weren't activated as they've always been.

Uta's touch isn't only controlled but soft as  
his finger slides down the lid of Renji's eye before touching Renji's eye. Renji's heart is steady not slow from the sleepiness he feels or ready to burst from his ribs like a rabbit's from fear or a kick of adrenaline. It's...nice, he finally settles even though it's a bit more than just nice despite how heavy Uta is to be having laying on top of him. Just as it's more than nice to tangle his curious fingers into Uta's dirty hair.

Eventually when Uta is done inspecting both of his eyes Renji can't help but ask, "Can I see yours too?"

It's something. Not weird nor stupid but something Renji doesn't know the word to. He doesn't have a fascination for eyes or dicks like Uta does but he wants to see them just once. It's funny, he thinks not all that humorous in thought. He's never cared before now.

Sadness makes itself worn on Uta's face (But never his eyes because Uta's eyes are like that of the doll's that Renji had once stolen from a human girl for his sister: vacant in their darkness.) and Renji knows the expression, the feeling, is rusty just he knows actually happiness is rusty for not just both of them but cheery Itori as well.

"You're my friend," Uta starts and it's such short, simple, and possessive words- "but I can't."

Simple is thrown at the window and Renji's eyebrows are dragged tight against one and another in his confusion. Renji lets go of Uta's hair and his hand crumbles onto the couch like a puppet whose strings have been brutally cut.

"I injected ink in them," Uta informs him, voice nonchalant despite the subject and past self inflicted pain. "It'll fade in a few years and before I do it again I'll show you."

It's not just a promise of that action but a promise that they will be (alive) friends in the years to come. The assurance is comforting just like not being alone is and having something to live for after he kills Arima. (He's going soft, Renji knows, but it's too late to care; too late to get out of Itori and Uta's web.)

But still Renji is curious. "Why do you do that?" His words are still slurred from the fermented blood but it's not as bad as it was a while ago (he doesn't know how much time has passed nor has Renji cared to keep track of it to begin with).

Uta smiles down at him and for the first time that night Renji's heart picks up from its steady pace. There's something there; it's a dangerous sort of amusement from Uta that begins to fill the small space between them.

"I am human." There's a pause where Renji is stunned (he's heard rumors bu-) before Uta corrects himself.

"Half human," Uta tells Renji, his head titled to the side as he does so and his hair now brushes onto Renji's shoulder. "It's not something I want others to know or want to remember." Another pause and then, "I have my mother's eyes."

His dark, inked eyes flicker to Renji's own and Renji knows that things once again have irrevocably changed between them.  
Renji doesn't voice it but he's content with that.

(It's too late to untangle themselves from the other after all.)


End file.
